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Courtroom scene from the "white flame" murder trial where Paul A. Wright is accused of murdering his wife and best friend after finding them in an embrace. Wright's lawyer, Jerry Giesler, eventually won his client's freedom with a temporary insanity defense

Man stands in front of the wreckage of Berth 153, a terminal in L.A. Harbor that was destroyed when the Markay, an oil tanker owned by the Keystone Tankship Corp., exploded in the wee hours of the morning. The fire was fed by leaking gasoline and threatened at least five terminals in the harbor. At least 22 were injured and 9, possibly 12, people were killed. Damage was estimated at $10,000,000.

Defense attorney Jerry Giesler photographed in court, during the "white flame" double homicide trial of aviation executive Paul A. Wright. Wright was charged with the shooting deaths of his wife Evelyn and best friend John Kimmel, whom he claimed to have caught in an "inappropriate" embrace in the Wright home.Giesler led Wright's defense team, and argued that Wright was not guilty by reason of insanity. The jury found Wright guilty of two counts of manslaughter, and subsequently ruled that he had been insane at his sanity trial.

Aerial view of rushing flood waters destroying homes in North Hollywood. The Los Angeles flood of 1938 was a major flooding event that affected much of Los Angeles, Orange County, and Riverside County. The flood was responsible for destroying 5,601 homes, damaging 1,500 homes, and killing approximately 110 people.

Fire fighters with a hose on the night of an explosion at the Golden State Fireworks and Display Co. plant at Redondo Beach (Feb. 7, 1940). The blast was felt 40 miles away, injured four, and caused damage to many nearby homes. Cause of the explosion was suspected to be decomposing firework shells, or possibly a gopher chewing on powder. Damages estimated at $100,000

Fire fighters with a hose at the former site of the Golden State Fireworks and Display Co. plant the night of a fireworks explosion (Feb. 7, 1940). The blast was felt 40 miles away, injured four, and damaged many nearby homes. Cause of the explosion is suspected to be decomposing firework shells, or possibly a gopher chewing on powder. Damages estimated at $100,000

Man uses a small bulldozer to clear brush after a fire in La Canada. The brush fire threatened four foothill communities including La Canada, Montrose, Glendale, and Flintridge. The crew saved many homes from the blaze, but several old cars were destroyed.

Dr. George K. Dazey (far left) and his third wife, Dorcas Dazey (center), at the trial in which Dr. Dazey is accused of murdering his second wife, actress Doris S. Dazey, in 1935. Doris Dazey's death was originally believed to be suicide by monoxide poisoning. However, witnesses claimed that Dr. Dazey had been boasting about committing the "perfect crime" and a night watchman testified to witnessing Dazey carry a woman's body from the house to the garage on the night of the murder. Other factors complicating the trial were the paternity of Doris and George Dazey's child, Doris Dazey's possible mental illness, and false testimonies from some of the witnesses. Dr. Dazey was ultimately acquitted of the crime.